• Edgerrin Cooper shines in his rookie season: The Green Bay Packers’ second-round pick made a name for himself over the second half of the campaign.

• Bryce Young shines in Year 2: The Carolina Panthers may have found their guy in Bryce Young after all, as the former first-overall pick enjoyed a strong end to the year.

• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF's best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team. Estimated reading time:

A few games is all it can take to kickstart a player's season. Sometimes, it can even just be a couple of plays. Over the course of the 2024 season, plenty of players started the year slow, only to find their feet later on in the season.

Here are the top five most improved players by grade at every position in the NFL, from the first half of the season to the second half. Starting with quarterbacks.

QUARTERBACK

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 228 | Grade from Week 1-9: 51.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 500 | Grade from Week 10-18: 86.4

Young’s second-half resurgence was a shock to many. The former No. 1 overall pick looked dead and buried after being benched by the Panthers in the first two weeks of the season, but Young stepped back into the lineup following an injury to Andy Dalton and never looked back. Young had 22 big-time throws in the second half of the season, the second-most in the NFL, and he finished with the seventh-most in 2024 (27).

Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

Snaps from Week 1-9: 295 | Grade from Week 1-9: 49.3
Snaps from Week 10-18: 325 | Grade from Week 10-18: 74.7

Richardson is still a work in progress for the Colts at quarterback, but the raw physical attributes are plain to see. He’s an athlete freak with a rocket arm, but he needs to fine-tune the other parts of his game. Richardson showed more poise upon his return to the lineup in the second half of the season, and his 8.3% pressure-to-sack rate was third-lowest in the NFL from Week 10 onwards.

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Snaps from Week 1-9: 530 | Grade from Week 1-9: 62.2
Snaps from Week 10-18: 493 | Grade from Week 10-18: 83.8

The Rams won nine of their last 12 games to finish with a 10-7 record and win the NFC West, and Matthew Stafford was at the center of their success at quarterback. Stafford’s 62.2 grade through the first nine weeks of the season was below his usual standard, but the veteran quarterback went on a tear down the stretch. He threw just two interceptions in the final eight games of the season, and his 2.6% turnover-worthy play rate ranked 23rd among quarterbacks.

Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders

Snaps from Week 1-9: 116 | Grade from Week 1-9: 47.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 311 | Grade from Week 10-18: 68.2

O’Connell might not be the Raiders' long-term solution, but he showed some improvement in the second half of the season and could be useful as the team’s backup quarterback. He threw six touchdowns and just two interceptions in the five games he played in the second half of the season, and O’Connell had a 6.4% big-time throw rate, the sixth-highest in the NFL.

Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

Snaps from Week 1-9: 253 | Grade from Week 1-9: 44.9
Snaps from Week 10-18: 369 | Grade from Week 10-18: 64.5

Levis was the Titans' on-again-off-again starter throughout the 2024 season and started 12 games in total, sharing the duties with Mason Rudolph. The former second-round pick improved in the second half of the season, completing 60.8% of his passes for 1,392 yards and eight touchdowns in seven games. Levis earned a 6.9% big-time throw rate in the second half of the season, the fifth-highest in the NFL.

RUNNING BACK

Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 163 | Grade from Week 1-9: 52.9
Snaps from Week 10-18: 285 | Grade from Week 10-18: 69.9

Jaylen Warren had a breakout year in 2023 but saw his production dip due to injuries at the start of the 2024 season. The former undrafted free agent had just 151 yards and averaged 3.7 yards per attempt in the first half of the season. However, it was business as usual from Week 10 onwards, as Warren rushed for 360 yards and forced 24 missed tackles, the 14th-most among running backs.

Breece Hall, New York Jets

Snaps from Week 1-9: 431 | Grade from Week 1-9: 56.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 290 | Grade from Week 10-18: 69.4

Breece Hall struggled in the first half of the season with the Jets, earning a 56.7 and averaging just 4.0 yards per carry out of the backfield. The big concern was with fumbles, Hall had four fumbles in the first nine games of the season but bounced back in the second half. In seven games, Hall averaged 4.5 yards per attempt and 11 rushes of over 10 yards, which was more akin to what we saw from him in 2023.

Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles

Snaps from Week 1-9: 128 | Grade from Week 1-9: 49.3
Snaps from Week 10-18: 172 | Grade from Week 10-18: 61.2

Gainwell’s role with the Eagles decreased in 2024, thanks in part to Saquon Barkley‘s arrival. He carried the ball just 31 times in the first half of the season, forcing just two missed tackles. Gainwell was better down the stretch, carrying the ball 44 times for 166 yards and forcing nine missed tackles while having six rushes of over 10 yards.

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

Snaps from Week 1-9: 303 | Grade from Week 1-9: 68.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 264 | Grade from Week 10-18: 79.7

Zach Charbonnet started six games in 2024, and four of those starts came in the final five weeks of the season. Overall, Charbonnet saw an increase in efficiency, as well as in his grade. The former UCLA Bruin earned 356 rushing yards and four touchdowns from Week 10 onwards, and his 3.54 yards after contact per attempt ranked fifth among all running backs in that stretch.

Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns

Snaps from Week 1-9: 264 | Grade from Week 1-9: 63.9
Snaps from Week 10-18: 263 | Grade from Week 10-18: 74.2

Ford was the Browns lead back in 2023, but his role was reduced with the return of Nick Chubb in 2024. However, Ford was still efficient in his opportunities. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry up until Week 9 and then took off in the second half of the season. He had the same amount of carries in the second half of the season, but Ford averaged 5.7 yards per attempt, forced eight more missed tackles, and his 74.2 grade from Weeks 10-18 was 15th in the NFL.

WIDE RECEIVER

Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos

Snaps from Week 1-9: 134 | Grade from Week 1-9: 55.4
Snaps from Week 10-18: 163 | Grade from Week 10-18: 79.5

Marvin Mims was an afterthought in the Denver Broncos offense in the first half of the season, catching just seven passes for 56 yards. It wasn’t the best use of his ability, but Mims made amends in the second half of the season. His 79.5 grade was 14th among all receivers, and Mims averaged 4.10 yards per route run, the highest among all receivers while catching 32 passes for 447 yards and six touchdowns.

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

Snaps from Week 1-9: 423 | Grade from Week 1-9: 60.4
Snaps from Week 10-18: 466 | Grade from Week 10-18: 81.3

Calvin Ridley struggled mightily in the first half of the season. The Titans' big free-agent acquisition caught just 49.1% of the targets thrown his way and his 6 drops were the second-most among all receivers. He was a big-play threat from Week 10 onwards, averaging 16.7 yards per reception, and catching 37 passes for 618 yards. And his 81.3 grade was 11th among receivers.

Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 256 | Grade from Week 1-9: 50.4
Snaps from Week 10-18: 369 | Grade from Week 10-18: 70.1

McMillan’s involvement in the offense grew following the devastating injury to Chris Godwin, but the Buccaneers’ 2024 third-round pick showed why he was so highly coveted in the second half of the season. McMillan caught 27 of 36 targets for 352 yards and seven touchdowns, the second-most in the NFL from Week 10 onwards.

KaVontae Turpin, Dallas Cowboys

Snaps from Week 1-9: 135 | Grade from Week 1-9: 59.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 180 | Grade from Week 10-18: 78.2

Turpin has been a special teams weapon for the Cowboys since he was an undrafted free agent back in 2022, but he took strides into being a real part of the offense in the second half of 2024. Turpin caught 14 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown from Week 10 onwards, and he averaged an electric 13.6 yards after the catch per reception.

Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 109 | Grade from Week 1-9: 63.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 320 | Grade from Week 10-18: 79.4

Thielen returned from injury with a bang in the second half of the season. After catching just eight passes in the first three games of the season, Thielen went on to catch 40 passes for 506 yards and four touchdowns from Week 10 onwards. His reception rate of 80.0% was seventh-highest of all receivers in the second half of the season.

TIGHT END

Nate Adkins, Denver Broncos

Snaps from Week 1-9: 206 | Grade from Week 1-9: 47.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 213 | Grade from Week 10-18: 77.9

Adkins was a bit-part feature of the Broncos offense in the 2024 season, but he made the moments he showed up in the second half of the season count even more. Adkins’ yards per reception leaped up from 4.4 yards from Weeks 1-8 to 10.3 yards per reception in the second half of the season, and he also caught all nine targets thrown his way for 93 yards and two touchdowns, all while improving his pass-blocking grade in the process.

Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans

Snaps from Week 1-9: 311 | Grade from Week 1-9: 49.2
Snaps from Week 10-18: 354 | Grade from Week 10-18: 70.5

Okonkwo showed off his explosiveness at tight end for the Titans in the second half of the season, giving fans a glimpse of what they’d come to expect from the 2022 fourth-round pick. He caught 32 of 41 targets for 320 yards and a touchdown from Week 10 onwards, and his 193 yards after the catch during that stretch was sixth among tight ends.

Johnny Mundt, Minnesota Vikings

Snaps from Week 1-9: 288 | Grade from Week 1-9: 51.3
Snaps from Week 10-18: 147 | Grade from Week 10-18: 71.6

Mundt was a bigger part of the Vikings offense with T.J. Hockenson sidelined, catching 14 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in the first half of the season. Hockenson’s return saw Mundt’s role decrease, but he still caught a touchdown and averaged 9.4 yards after the catch per reception from Week 10 onwards, fourth among tight ends.

Austin Hooper, New England Patriots

Snaps from Week 1-9: 284 | Grade from Week 1-9: 64.1
Snaps from Week 10-18: 290 | Grade from Week 10-18: 82.3

Hooper’s snap counts from the first half of the season and the second half of the season are near-identical, but his impact in the back half of the season was far more significant. His 82.3 grade from Week 10 onwards was the fourth-highest among tight ends, and Hooper caught 29 passes for 339 yards. His seven contested catches ranked third at the position.

Tommy Tremble, Carolina Panthers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 200 | Grade from Week 1-9: 46.1
Snaps from Week 10-18: 318 | Grade from Week 10-18: 61.4

Tremble missed time in the middle of the season due to a concussion and a back injury, but that didn’t stop him from improving upon his early season grade. The fourth-year tight end caught 14 of 17 targets thrown his way in the second half of the season for 162 yards and two touchdowns, and his 6.2 yards after the catch per reception was 19th among tight ends.

CENTER

Bradley Bozeman, Los Angeles Chargers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 495 | Grade from Week 1-9: 53.8
Snaps from Week 10-18: 561 | Grade from Week 10-18: 69.4

Bozeman was the Chargers offensive line's anchor down the stretch as the team made the playoffs with an 11-6 record, winning six of its last nine games. Bozeman’s grade improved across the board, and his 69.3 run-blocking grade from Week 10 onwards was 14th among all centers.

Ben Brown, New England Patriots

Snaps from Week 1-9: 262 | Grade from Week 1-9: 47.9
Snaps from Week 10-18: 405 | Grade from Week 10-18: 62.6

Brown started just 10 games in 2024 but showed real improvement at center in the second half of the season. His 47.9 until Week 9 ranked dead last among centers, but he turned it around from Week 10 onwards, and his 2.8% pressure rate allowed was ninth-lowest among all centers in the NFL.

Ethan Pocic, Cleveland Browns

Snaps from Week 1-9: 520 | Grade from Week 1-9: 57.6
Snaps from Week 10-18: 553 | Grade from Week 10-18: 70.5

Pocic started off the 2024 season poorly, and his 19 pressures allowed was the second-most among all centers. He locked in from Week 10 onwards though. Pocic earned a 68.8 pass-blocking grade, 11th among centers, and his 2.6% pressure rate allowed was seventh-lowest at the position.

Josh Myers, Green Bay Packers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 529 | Grade from Week 1-9: 51.0
Snaps from Week 10-18: 477 | Grade from Week 10-18: 62.5

Josh Myers‘s improvements on the Packers' strong offensive line came from what he was able to do as a run blocker. His 43.9 run-blocking grade until Week 9 was the lowest in the NFL, but as the Packers' ground game improved, so did Myers. His 63.4 run-blocking grade from Week 10 was 26th out of 40 centers.

John Michael Schmitz Jr., New York Giants

Snaps from Week 1-9: 611 | Grade from Week 1-9: 58.0
Snaps from Week 10-18: 372 | Grade from Week 10-18: 67.4

John Michael Schmitz Jr. had the third-lowest pass-blocking grade among all centers in the first half of the season and allowed a 4.9% pressure rate. From Week 10 onwards, he dropped his pressure rate to just 3.9% and improved his run-blocking grade to 72.2, the eighth-highest at the position.

GUARD

Kevin Dotson, Los Angeles Rams

Snaps from Week 1-9: 530 | Grade from Week 1-9: 67.9
Snaps from Week 10-18: 493 | Grade from Week 10-18: 90.8

Kevin Dotson was a breakout star on the Rams offensive line in 2023, but he started a little slower than anticipated in 2024. He allowed 15 pressures and three sacks in the first half of the season but excelled down the stretch. His 90.8 grade was third among guards, and he dropped his pressure rate from 4.8% to 2.9%, allowing zero sacks in the process.

T.J. Bass, Dallas Cowboys

Snaps from Week 1-9: 134 | Grade from Week 1-9: 51.4
Snaps from Week 10-18: 181 | Grade from Week 10-18: 73.8

Bass started just three games for the Cowboys in 2024, playing just 315 total snaps across the way. His grade from Weeks 1-9 was just 51.4, among the lowest in the league, but he improved from Week 10 onwards, and his 73.8 grade was 13th among guards. His 2.8% pressure rate allowed was also the 10th lowest in the NFL.

Jonah Jackson, Los Angeles Rams

Snaps from Week 1-9: 130 | Grade from Week 1-9: 56.6
Snaps from Week 10-18: 136 | Grade from Week 10-18: 75.1

Jackson played just four games in the regular season but started all four games and played every available snap — two in the first nine weeks of the season and two in the second half of the season. His 56.6 grade in his first two games of the season was 62nd out of 83 guards, but his final two games of the season were more reflective of his talent, and Jackson earned a 78.8 run-blocking grade, ninth among guards.

Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos

Snaps from Week 1-9: 587 | Grade from Week 1-9: 74.8
Snaps from Week 10-18: 502 | Grade from Week 10-18: 93.2

Quinn Meinerz’s 74.8 grade was already top-15 at the position in the first half of the season, but the Broncos’ guard cemented himself as one of the best in the league in the latter half of the year. His 93.2 grade was second among all guards, and he allowed just six pressures and zero sacks.

Jamaree Salyer, Los Angeles Chargers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 123 | Grade from Week 1-9: 51.4
Snaps from Week 10-18: 216 | Grade from Week 10-18: 64.7

Salyer’s role on the Chargers’ offensive line fluctuated in 2024, but he made himself more of a presence in the back half of the season, starting the final three games of the season. His 64.7 grade was 33rd among all guards, and he allowed just three pressures from Week 10 onwards. No guard allowed fewer pressures.

TACKLE

Warren McClendon Jr., Los Angeles Rams

Snaps from Week 1-9: 149 | Grade from Week 1-9: 49.4
Snaps from Week 10-18: 182 | Grade from Week 10-18: 73.9

McClendon started five games in 2024 and struggled in his first two starts, allowing nine total pressures and three sacks, while his 10.3% pressure rate allowed was the 10th-highest among tackles. The second-year tackle improved in the second half of the season, allowing just four total pressures, and dropping his pressure rate allowed to 3.3%, the 10th-lowest among tackles.

Olumuyiwa Fashanu, New York Jets

Snaps from Week 1-9: 198 | Grade from Week 1-9: 46.9
Snaps from Week 10-18: 336 | Grade from Week 10-18: 70.2

The Jets’ 2024 first-round pick started slowly in his rookie season, earning a 46.9 grade and allowing a 9.2% pressure rate in the first half of the season. Fashanu then started five of the next six games at left tackle and impressed, earning a 70.2 grade and dropping his pressure rate to just 5.7%. His 74.7 pass-blocking grade was 29th among tackles.

Broderick Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 476 | Grade from Week 1-9: 47.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 595 | Grade from Week 10-18: 69.9

Jones’ first two seasons in the NFL haven’t been easy. The Steelers’ 2023 first-round pick allowed seven sacks in the first half of the season, more than any other tackle in the NFL, and his 40.7 pass-blocking grade was bottom-10 in the NFL — any improvement would be a bonus. Jones allowed just three sacks in the next nine games, and his 70.9 run-blocking grade was 25th among tackles.

Rob Havenstein, Los Angeles Rams

Snaps from Week 1-9: 433 | Grade from Week 1-9: 67.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 250 | Grade from Week 10-18: 83.1

Havenstein has been a major player on the Rams offensive line for the last 10 seasons, and after a slower-than-anticipated start in 2024, the veteran rounded into form in the second half of the season when he entered the starting lineup after missing time due to injury. His 88.7 run-blocking grade was second among all tackles, and Havenstein allowed zero sacks in 111 pass-blocking snaps.

Walker Little, Jacksonville Jaguars

Snaps from Week 1-9: 199 | Grade from Week 1-9: 66.3
Snaps from Week 10-18: 309 | Grade from Week 10-18: 81.2

Walker Little’s role in the offense grew after the Jaguars traded Cam Robinson to the Vikings, pushing into the role of the Jaguars starting left tackle. He went from strength to strength in the role. Little’s 2.5% pressure rate allowed was second-lowest among all tackles in the second half of the season, and his 83.2 pass-blocking grade was 10th.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Kentavius Street, Atlanta Falcons

Snaps from Week 1-9: 107 | Grade from Week 1-9: 46.3
Snaps from Week 10-18: 173 | Grade from Week 10-18: 71.4

Street’s grade until Week 9 was 119th out of 139 defensive tackles, and his 33.3% missed tackle rate was third-lowest at the position. The Falcons defense struggled, but Street improved in the second half of the season. His 71.4 grade was 23rd at the position, while his 73.1 run defense grade was 11th.

Mazi Smith, Dallas Cowboys

Snaps from Week 1-9: 253 | Grade from Week 1-9: 29.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 271 | Grade from Week 10-18: 50.9

No one had a lower grade than Mazi Smith through the first half of the season, his 29.5 grade was 139th out of 139 defensive tackles, and his 28.5 run defense grade was second-last at the position. His grade in the second half of the season was still below average, but it was a considerable improvement for the former first-round pick. Smith had 12 stops from Week 10 onwards, the 26th-most among defensive tackles.

Linval Joseph, Dallas Cowboys

Snaps from Week 1-9: 156 | Grade from Week 1-9: 46.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 108 | Grade from Week 10-18: 66.5

Joseph’s prime years are behind him, but he still showed improvement down the stretch for the Cowboys after a slow start to the season. His 66.5 grade from Week 10 onwards was 37th at the position, and he still showed he was a sound tackler, missing zero tackles.

Calijah Kancey, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 180 | Grade from Week 1-9: 39.8
Snaps from Week 10-18: 361 | Grade from Week 10-18: 59.0

The Bucs first-round pick from 2023 has had a mixed bag in the NFL in his first two years. He’s shown a knack for getting to the passer, but his overall grade has been below 50.0 in back-to-back seasons. Kancey improved in the second half of the 2024 season, and his 29 pressures were seventh-most among defensive tackles.

Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 393 | Grade from Week 1-9: 53.4
Snaps from Week 10-18: 292 | Grade from Week 10-18: 72.3

Clark has been a stalwart for the Packers defense over the last 10 years, but he started the 2024 season slower than anticipated. But as the Packers defense improved, so did Clark. His 72.3 grade from Week 10 onwards was 24th among defensive tackles, and he had 17 pressures – 31st at the position.

EDGE

Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos

Snaps from Week 1-9: 343 | Grade from Week 1-9: 59.0
Snaps from Week 10-18: 365 | Grade from Week 10-18: 89.8

Bonitto was one of the breakout stars in the NFL in 2024, and he did it on one of the best defenses in the league. He had the second-most missed tackles among all edge rushers until Week 9, but Bonitto stiffened up and continued to perfect his craft in the second half of the season. His 32 pressures from Week 10 onwards were eighth-most, and only Micah Parsons had more sacks than his nine.

Derek Barnett, Houston Texans

Snaps from Week 1-9: 177 | Grade from Week 1-9: 59.1
Snaps from Week 10-18: 213 | Grade from Week 10-18: 83.9

Barnett struggled to make an impact on a good Texans’ defense in the first half of the season but responded strongly in the second half. His 83.9 grade was eighth at the position, and Barnett finished the season with 12 pressures and three sacks in eight games.

Chase Young, New Orleans Saints

Snaps from Week 1-9: 412 | Grade from Week 1-9: 56.6
Snaps from Week 10-18: 328 | Grade from Week 10-18: 77.3

Chase Young continued to rebuild himself as a strong pass rusher in New Orleans, and his season really picked up in the second half of the year. From Week 10 onwards, Young had the 18th-highest grade among edge rushers, and his 33 pressures were the seventh-most at the position.

Chop Robinson, Miami Dolphins

Snaps from Week 1-9: 237 | Grade from Week 1-9: 59.1
Snaps from Week 10-18: 328 | Grade from Week 10-18: 79.1

Robinson’s rookie season started slow, and his 59.1 grade was 90th out of 120 edge rushers, but as the season went on Robinson found his footing. His 42 pressures from Week 10 onwards were the second-most in the NFL, while his six sacks were seventh-most.

Tyquan Lewis, Indianapolis Colts

Snaps from Week 1-9: 197 | Grade from Week 1-9: 55.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 158 | Grade from Week 10-18: 74.4

Tyquan Lewis played in just 10 games in the 2024 season, but his performances in the second half of the season reminded Colts fans why he’s an integral piece of their defensive line. Lewis’s 78.3 run defense grade was ninth-highest among edge defenders, and his overall grade was 23rd.

LINEBACKERS

Quay Walker, Green Bay Packers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 460 | Grade from Week 1-9: 47.6
Snaps from Week 10-18: 287 | Grade from Week 10-18: 72.2

Walker’s NFL career hasn’t been smooth sailing, but he showed some of his first-round potential again in the second half of the 2024 season. His 72.2 grade was 23rd, and his 80.2 run defense grade was 11th among linebackers, and Walker allowed just 123 yards in coverage from Week 10 onwards.

Christian Rozeboom, Los Angeles Rams

Snaps from Week 1-9: 396 | Grade from Week 1-9: 47.2
Snaps from Week 10-18: 432 | Grade from Week 10-18: 70.0

Rozeboom was a key figure as the Rams defense stiffened up in the second half of the season en route to winning the NFC West. His 70.0 grade was 26th among linebackers, and the former undrafted free agent was tied for the third-most PBUs (three) at the position from Week 10 onwards.

Drue Tranquill, Kansas City Chiefs

Snaps from Week 1-9: 388 | Grade from Week 1-9: 54.8
Snaps from Week 10-18: 410 | Grade from Week 10-18: 75.7

Tranquill started slow but proved to be a factor for one of the NFL’s best defenses for the second season running. From Week 10 onwards, Tranquill was tied for 16th-most pressures among linebackers, and he allowed just 6.1 yards per reception in coverage, fourth-lowest at the position.

Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 238 | Grade from Week 1-9: 69.6
Snaps from Week 10-18: 251 | Grade from Week 10-18: 90.0

As a rookie, Edgerrin Cooper was arguably the best linebacker in the NFL in the second half of the season. His 90.0 grade led all players at the position, and he was top-20 in stops, and seventh in tackles for loss and no gain (eight). A star in the making.

K.J. Britt, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 482 | Grade from Week 1-9: 41.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 131 | Grade from Week 10-18: 61.8

The Buccaneers benched Britt after a poor start to the season. His 41.5 grade was 97th out of 101 linebackers in the first half of the season, but he responded well after. Britt allowed just four catches in 68 coverage snaps from Week 10 onwards.

CORNERBACK

Chau Smith-Wade, Carolina Panthers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 130 | Grade from Week 1-9: 36.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 171 | Grade from Week 10-18: 66.7

The Panthers’ rookie fifth-round pick saw his role grow in the second half of the season. Smith-Wade’s 67.6 coverage grade was 41st among cornerbacks from Week 10 onwards, and he allowed just nine catches in 110 coverage snaps, giving up just 71 receiving yards.

Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots

Snaps from Week 1-9: 587 | Grade from Week 1-9: 61.8
Snaps from Week 10-18: 391 | Grade from Week 10-18: 87.3

In his rookie season, Gonzalez impressed but saw it cut short due to injury. He rebounded in 2024 with an excellent sophomore campaign, and his 87.3 grade in the second half of the season led all cornerbacks. He allowed a 48.1% completion percentage when targeted, the eighth-lowest in the NFL.

Eric Stokes, Green Bay Packers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 346 | Grade from Week 1-9: 51.0
Snaps from Week 10-18: 241 | Grade from Week 10-18: 73.5

Stokes was one of several Packers’ defenders whose grades improved in the second half of the season. His 51.0 grade ranked 114th out of 127 cornerbacks in the first nine weeks of the season, but through the next nine weeks, he allowed a 47.1% completion percentage, the fifth-lowest at the position.

Joshua Williams, Kansas City Chiefs

Snaps from Week 1-9: 144 | Grade from Week 1-9: 50.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 267 | Grade from Week 10-18: 72.3

Williams was inserted into the starting lineup in the second half of the season and impressed once again for the Chiefs. His 72.3 grade was 21st among cornerbacks, and the former fourth-round pick allowed just 9.3 yards per reception, 105th out of 131 cornerbacks.

Derek Stingley Jr., Houston Texans

Snaps from Week 1-9: 531 | Grade from Week 1-9: 61.7
Snaps from Week 10-18: 481 | Grade from Week 10-18: 81.3

Stingley’s aura grew and grew as the season went on, and the former first-round pick has fully asserted himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. His 81.3 grade in the second half of the season was sixth at the position, and he went into full lockdown mode, allowing a 40.6% completion percentage — third-lowest in the NFL.

SAFETY

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles

Snaps from Week 1-9: 470 | Grade from Week 1-9: 52.9
Snaps from Week 10-18: 437 | Grade from Week 10-18: 90.8

Gardner-Johnson’s bounceback in 2024 was emphatic. His 52.9 grade in the first half of the season was 80th out of 98 safeties, but his 90.8 grade from Week 10 onwards led the league. Garnder-Johnson had five interceptions in that time and allowed just eight receptions for 53 yards in coverage.

Cam Lewis, Buffalo Bills

Snaps from Week 1-9: 350 | Grade from Week 1-9: 44.5
Snaps from Week 10-18: 247 | Grade from Week 10-18: 80.9

Lewis made his biggest contribution to the Bills this season in his fifth season in the league. The former undrafted free agent earned an 80.9 grade in the second half of the season, sixth among safeties. He allowed just 7.3 yards per reception, the 13th lowest among safeties.

Alohi Gilman, Los Angeles Chargers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 445 | Grade from Week 1-9: 46.8
Snaps from Week 10-18: 213 | Grade from Week 10-18: 73.8

Gilman was a key reason the Chargers' defense was one of the best in the NFL in 2024, and the defense suffered when he wasn’t on the field. The former sixth-round pick had a 73.7 coverage grade from Week 10 onwards, the 16th-best in the NFL, and he allowed just two receptions for eight yards in 139 snaps in coverage.

Devon Key, Denver Broncos

Snaps from Week 1-9: 147 | Grade from Week 1-9: 51.1
Snaps from Week 10-18: 105 | Grade from Week 10-18: 76.4

Key didn’t feature much for the Broncos in 2024, but he earned a 76.4 grade in 105 snaps from Week 10 onwards, the 18th-highest grade among safeties. He allowed zero catches in 69 coverage snaps, and his 70.2 coverage grade was 25th at the position.

Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Snaps from Week 1-9: 425 | Grade from Week 1-9: 63.3
Snaps from Week 10-18: 561 | Grade from Week 10-18: 87.5

James started the 2024 season well but took his performances to another level in the second half of the season. His 87.5 grade was second among all safeties, and James was back to his blitzing best, registering the second-most pressures (10) among safeties while allowing just 9.0 yards per reception, 75th out of 100 safeties.

Second-half risers: 5 most improved players at every position over the second half of the 2024 season